the chance to be taken more seriously by the company so as to propose different, better solutions for the same work.

Should you decide to go solo, here are a few tips on how to be most effective:

· If you're working out of your home office, don't hang around the office all day. Take some time each day to get out, meet some customers, lunch with fellow contractors.

· Don't spend too much time on your computer each day. The tendency is to get lost in some back-water and spend hours watching the alligators, which may have nothing to do with your business.

· Focus on servicing your customer better, rather than on trying to grow your business too fast. There is a tendency when you first leave corporate America to get more customers. That's somewhat understandable because you no longer have the cushion of a regular check. By focusing on giving your current client unparalleled service, you will quickly build a strong reputation and gain a reference that will provide plenty of future revenue.

· Don't think in terms of a formal, rigid, business plan. When you're an independent consultant or contractor, you have to be extremely flexible to quickly respond to the market needs. The customer is still king.

· Don't let business run your life. Once you're clear of the corporate claw, there is sometimes a tendency to let the responsibility overwhelm you. Stay focused and remember that the goal of having fun and achieving work/life balance is doable.

Think about this: Haven't we really been self-employed all this time? Haven't most of us been independent contractors performing a defined set of services with no real guarantee of continued employment? I think so. If you do too, and you're ready to take the plunge, goodness is just around the corner.

And, remember: go confidently in the direction of your dream.

Gordon Miller is a career coach, speaker, and the author of The Career Coach: Winning Strategies for Getting Ahead in Today's Job Market (Doubleday). He can be reached at gordonmiller@group56.com or http://www.group56.com .